Ann Widdecombe webchat 14 June 1.30-2.30pm

I wanted to ask about your programme on Girl gangs. I just wanted to know if there was anything you noticed that could smooth the relations across boundaries like wealth, gender, age etc?

I sometimes feel like I must have things in common with people who have very different lifestyles to me, but I have difficulty working out what they might be. I always thought you did that quite well on that show.
(sorry. bit rambly...)

Hello Ann. Due to the economic situation many families are having to make extreme cut backs and are being faced with tough choices as to how they will meet mortgage payments, feed their children and heat their homes.

Given the above how do you stand with the cost of the recent Queens Jubilee and the forthcoming Olympics?

Many thanks in advance.

An, further to the question about the death penalty, you voted for the restoration of capital punishment for terrorists. In the light of the Guildford 4 and Birmingham 6, have you changed your mind since?

Hello Ann,
'Unsafe evidence' alone would be a good enough reason not to re-introduce the death penalty, but surely a 'life sentence' should mean 'life', and not just a few years? Is this simply an economic slant on things, because the prisons are so full? What's your view on this?
Thank you in anticipation!

Sorry, I am NOT a fan here....

Ann, I would also like to add the names of Timothy Evans and Derek Bentley to the list of hanged men who subsequently were shown not to be the murderer.
As a preventative measure the death penalty does not have much impact. My father, a defence barrister, said that many clients and cases he knew did not consider the potential penalty when committing murder. Numbers on death rows in US would also support this.

AllieOxon, well said: neither am I.

Bet we're not the only ones....

Me too - as a retired probation officer, I have seen many lifers who should not be released and I would be quite content for them to remain in prison for the rest of their lives, whilst others don't need a full life sentence and will readily integrate back into the community after release. I've never met one who I believe should be killed because of their crime of killing others. If it isn't right to kill, how can we justify killing them?

I am an admirer, but there are already so many questions - we'd need a whole day, not just one hour!

Do you think Ministers should take responsibility for the actions of their special advisers?

Why is nail polish important to you? Have you always cared about looking presentable? Do you think it's important to make the best of yourself?

Anne, You are well known for not pulling your punches when it comes to bewailing the falling standards of moral behaviour in young women. Unlike you, some people in the public eye are often wary of being too outspoken in case their popularity is damaged, so, to prevent a shortage of future battleaxes, which well known personality would you take on as an apprentice?

Love your question merlotgran!

Hello Anne
I just want to say that you would have made the perfect successor to Margeret Thatcher. You really should have been Prime Minister. Love your outspokenness and common sense.
Good luck in all you do.
Gran7

How exciting!

I wondered whether you thought that the Conservative Party has suffered since you left from being increasingly seen as a preserve of posh boys?

Do you think you have softened since you left parliament? You have changed from being quite a scary person to a sort of national treasure. Are you happy about that?

Would you have served in a Conservative-LibDem coalition?

Would you describe yourself as a feminist?